Nostr is a decentralized network protocol for a distributed social networking system. The name is an acronym for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays". It was designed with goals of censorship-resistance in mind.[2]
The Nostr protocol was first written in 2020 by Brazilian cryptocurrency developer,[3] known by the pseudonym "fiatjaf".[4]
Users
As of April 2023, Nostr was primarily popular with Bitcoin users.[5] Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, endorses and has financially supported the development of Nostr by donating approximately $250,000 worth of bitcoin to the developers of the project.[5][6]
Some Nostr apps have been banned in China.[7]
Open protocol
As an Open protocol and FOSS project, Nostr allows for multiple different front-ends for the same data. Multiple Nostr clients exist.[8]
The protocol's primary form of data transport is the use of a standardized kind of WebSocket server called a Relay.[9] Each user has a cryptographic keypair.[9] Data on the Nostr protocol is stored in JSON blobs called Events, which are the only kind of object on the Nostr protocol.[10][9]
Different extensions to the Nostr protocol are called "NIPs", for Nostr Implementation Possibilities.[11] One of these provides integration of Nostr with the Lightning Network that operates on the Bitcoin blockchain, allowing Nostr users to send and request cryptocurrency payments (called "Zaps") to and from other users.[12]
See also
- Secure Scuttlebutt – Decentralized social network
- ActivityPub – Decentralized social networking protocol
- Bluesky (social network) – Decentralized social media network
- Mastodon (social network) – Self-hosted social network software
- OStatus – Open microblogging protocol
- Webmention – open, decentralized social web notification standard
- Internet censorship
References
- ^ "basic server relay code. · nostr-protocol/nostr@6158017 · GitHub". GitHub.
- ^ nostr - Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays, nostr-protocol, January 6, 2024, retrieved January 6, 2024
- ^ Long, Katherine (June 6, 2024). "Jack Dorsey gave $10 million to an anonymous founder with a deep devotion to a fascist 'guru'". Business Insider. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ Castillo, Michael del. "Meet @Fiatjaf, The Mysterious Nostr Creator Who Has Lured 18 Million Users And $5 Million From Jack Dorsey". Forbes. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Torpey, Kyle (February 21, 2023). "Here's why Bitcoiners are flocking to Nostr, a social network supported by Jack Dorsey and Edward Snowden". Fortune. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- ^ Schreckinger, Ben; Robertson, Derek (April 10, 2023). "Jack Dorsey explains his new obsession". Politico.
- ^ "Removal of Damus social media platform from China App Store was 'expected' by developers amid Beijing's strict censorship". South China Morning Post. February 6, 2023.
- ^ "Clients - Docs". nostr.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c "nips/01.md at master · nostr-protocol/nips · GitHub". GitHub.
- ^ "Events - Docs". nostr.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ "GitHub - nostr-protocol/nips: Nostr Implementation Possibilities". GitHub.
- ^ "What are Zaps?". nostr.how. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
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